Research Request Form

All materials within the Martha Smith, CSJ, Ph.D. Archives & Research Center are non-circulating. However, we welcome researchers, visitors, and questions. If you would like to request specific items for research, please complete this form.

Larry Garrison Sullivan, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science and Health, was awarded the Carol Baffi-Dugan Award for Service by the National Associations of Advisors to the Health Professions (NAAHP) at this year’s national meeting. Based on their service and dedication to the association, the honor goes to one member from each of the four regions. This year, Sullivan received the recognition from the central region.

Alexandra Adams, Ed.D. has accepted the position of Vice President for Enrollment Management at Avila University and will begin her new role in August. Adams is tasked with leading enrollment and retention efforts, student services and athletics. Adams brings her years of experience in higher education to Kansas City from universities in Philadelphia, Memphis, Maryland and Indiana.

“Mission and making a difference for students drives me as a professional,” said Adams. “Avila’s dedication to its students is why I am excited to become part of this team.”

(KANSAS CITY, MO): Nicole Esquibel, dean of the School of Visual and Communication Arts; Ken Parsons, assistant professor of philosophy and director for the Center for Global Studies and Social Justice; and Arica Maurer, coordinator of the Buchanan Initiative for Peace and Nonviolence were selected to attend the tenth annual Summer Institute (SI) for Faculty at the University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. The SI is a week-long training for academics who want to launch or strengthen peace studies programs at their colleges or universities. The annual event is held on the Notre Dame campus in South Bend, Indiana.

Avila University has announced the hiring of Susan L. Mathern, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, MBA, as director of human resources. Mathern assumes the position after the retirement of longtime director Janet McManus.

Eighty Avila University students were honored on April 28 at the 32nd Annual Honors Ceremony. Nine students were elected into Delta Epsilon Sigma, the national scholastic honor society for students of universities with Catholic traditions and six students were elected into Kappa Gamma Pi, the national Catholic college graduate honor society exemplifying leadership, scholarship, faith and service. Twenty students received the Avila University Student Award of Excellence. One faculty member, Sarah Sanford., M.S., Ed., R.T. (R) (CT) Clinical Coordinator and Instructor, Radiologic Science was named Professor of the Year.

Avila University presented its annual Student Leadership Awards on May 3 at the home of Avila President Ron Slepitza, Ph.D., CSJA and his wife Suzanne. Among others, 34 students received the Spirit of Avila Award.

Avila University held commencement exercises on Saturday, May 12 at 10:00 a.m. Of the 431 walking, 117 graduate students and 261 undergraduate students came forward in Bartle Hall at the Kansas City Convention Center to receive their college diplomas.

Members of the Talon Media Network (TMN) brought home six awards from the Missouri Collegiate Media Association (MCMA) 2018 annual conference, held earlier this month at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.

The Buchanan Initiative for Peace and Nonviolence at Avila University will host Rev. John Dear, Catholic priest and multi-Nobel prize nominee, for a talk and book signing on April 17 in the Whitfield Conference Center.

In the last five years, opioid overdose deaths have quadrupled in the Kansas City metro area. In an attempt to counteract the growing concern, the Center for Digital Advocacy at Avila University will host a panel discussion on the opioid epidemic on February 20 in the Dallavis Center.

For the third year in a row, more than $1 million was raised at Avila’s 42nd annual Steer Dinner and Auction. First held in 1977, this year’s event took place on February 3rd at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown Muehlebach Tower.

With traditional undergraduate classes starting this week, Avila University is seeing a 45% increase in transfer and first-year student enrollments for Spring 2018. This increase is largely attributed to the university's move to a new, lower tuition model which includes the cost of books and campus fees.

The Board of Commissioners of the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) announced that, at its meeting in Orlando, Florida, on December 5-7, 2017, Avila University was granted reaffirmation of accreditation of the business and management programs offered through its School of Business.

“Anything of Which a Woman Is Capable” Chronicles the History of the Sisters of St. Joseph in the United States

Avila University will host a book signing for historical theologian S. Mary McGlone, CSJ and her new book “Anything of Which a Woman Is Capable” on Tuesday, November 5 on the campus of Avila University.

Avila University has joined with leaders of 161 Catholic communities in every state of the nation, in issuing a letter to President Trump and the U.S. Congress in support of climate change science, funding and international policy negotiations.

Avila Partners with Hickman Mills School District to Spark Interest in Teaching

(November 8, 2017) KANSAS CITY, MO – A group of eight Hickman Mills School District seniors from Ruskin High School are participating in a new program designed by Avila University’s School of Education faculty. Bradley Poos, Ph.D., Avila assistant professor of education and lead faculty for the “Grow Your Own” program, is hoping to expose local students to teaching methods and cultivate an interest in becoming teachers. The ultimate goal is that one day these “Grow Your Own” students will return to teach in the Hickman Mills district, a district that is in need of teachers.

Avila University has announced eight newly installed members of its Alumni Board. The Avila Alumni Board serves as an advisory body with the responsibility to advise the University on alumni-related policies and activities.

Based on how colleges performed and in comparing them to one another, the researchers at Zippia gathered data from the Department of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to understand which social work departments offered the best career opportunities. Data such as mean career earnings, percentage of graduates actually working in the field and school performance were collected.

Avila University and the University of Missouri – Kansas City will sponsor a suicide prevention social work forum on November 7 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Whitfield Center on the Avila University campus.

The South Kansas City Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on November 7 at 11:0 a.m. for the Beak & Bean, a new coffee shop on the Avila University campus. and caters to faculty, staff, students and the surrounding community.

Statistics show that nationally, more than half of all college students (57%) say that it’s difficult to identify dating abuse. Avila University is raising awareness through a “Red Flag” campaign as one of the events for National Dating/Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Scattered on the lawn in front of the campus dining hall are red surveying flags with handwritten “red flag” statements that are typical warning signs of sexual assault, dating violence or stalking.

Avila's University Singers were selected to perform as the touring ensemble for The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses. The 20-member choir will be joined on stage by a 57-piece orchestra in celebration of 30 years of The Legend of Zelda video game series. The first performance is Oct. 6, 2017 at the Music Hall in Kansas City, Missouri, followed by a performance in Des Moines, Iowa, at the Civic Center on Oct. 8, 2017.

Avila University’s Upward Bound program has received a generous new federal grant from the Department of Education. The grant totals $1.4 million over the next five years and will make it possible to serve 60 additional students from Northeast High School and Central High School in Kansas City, MO.

(September 12, 2017) KANSAS CITY, MO - Award-winning novelist and memoirist, Reyna Grande, will deliver the 2017 Harry S. Truman Distinguished Lecture on October 18 on the campus of Avila University. Grande will speak on her memoir The Distance Between Us, which tells the story of her journey to America when her father brought her to the United States illegally.

Kansas City, Mo. – Avila University today announced an exciting new tuition pricing model as part of The Avila Promise – an intentional effort by the University to bring clarity and transparency to students and families as they navigate college planning.

Avila University President Ronald Sleptiza, Ph.D., CSJA, today joined other college and university presidents and others in releasing a statement about today’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program.

The Hartsook Institute at Avila University will hold its fourth annual Inspired Fundraising Summit on August 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Goppert Theatre on the Avila University campus. The event is designed for fundraisers, CEOs, executive directors, philanthropists, board members and nonprofit professionals.

The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Board of Presidents is pleased to announce Avila University has accepted an invitation for membership into the conference effective with the 2018-19 academic year.

Avila University will hold commencement exercises on Saturday, May 13 at 10:00 a.m. In all, 113 graduate students and 314 undergraduate students will come forward in the Grand Ballroom at the Kansas City Convention Center to receive their college diplomas.

David Armstrong, CSJA, has served Avila University for over 15 years as Director of Mission Effectiveness and Campus Ministry. For his dedicated service to the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph (CSJ) and his generosity and contributions to the betterment of society, Armstrong will receive the Generosity of St. Joseph Honor at the 11th annual gala to be held on April 28 in St. Louis, Missouri.

(April 18, 2017) KANSAS CITY, MO – April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and this year’s campaign theme is “Engaging New Voices.” Avila University is calling on new voices (students, faculty and staff) to join in the prevention of sexual violence.

Avila will host the first Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event on Saturday April 22 beginning at 10:30 a.m. on the campus of Avila University.

April 12, 2017) KANSAS CITY, MO – Members of the Avila University Talon Media Network brought home 14 awards from the Missouri Collegiate Media Association (MCMA) 2017 Annual Conference in St. Joseph, Missouri on April 8.

Two Ruskin High School students, Terren Jones and Rajae Hazziez, who are also participants in the Avila University Upward Bound program, have both received Dell scholarships from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation.

KANSAS CITY – Donnelly students with a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in all college course work can transfer to Avila with the guarantee of being awarded at least $13,000 in institutional scholarship money.

(February 23, 2017) KANSAS CITY, MO –Avila University recently raised more than $1 million in student scholarships at its 41st Annual Steer Dinner & Auction. Funds raised at the annual event directly benefit Avila University students, ensuring that 98 percent of undergraduate students receive some form of financial assistance that enable them to receive a values-based education.

(January 25, 2017) KANSAS CITY, MO – Avila University will begin offering a new major beginning in the fall of 2017. Healthcare Communication is a Bachelor of Arts degree that will be offered through the School of Visual and Communication Arts.

(January 19, 2017) KANSAS CITY, MO – Terren Jones, a senior at Ruskin High School and an Avila University Upward Bound participant since 2014, has been awarded a Horatio Alger scholarship in the amount of $10,000.

(January 17, 2017) KANSAS CITY, MO – Avila University, the Buchanan Initiative for Peace and Nonviolence and its partners invite the community to Troost: A Vision for Peace and Action. The conference will be held February 8-9, 2017 in the Whitfield Center on the campus of Avila University.

On December 1, 2016, Kansas City lost a leader in education, faith and fundraising with the passing of Sister Olive Louise Dallavis. She was 95. S. Olive Louise was the longest acting president of Avila University, serving for 24 years.

Avila University has received a generous grant from the U.S. Department of Education and the Fulbright-Hays Projects Abroad group study program. As the only university in Missouri or Kansas to be awarded this Fulbright grant during the 2016 fiscal year, Avila will recruit K-12 educators to participate in a summer study abroad program to Rwanda.

Angela Heer, vice-president of advancement and external relations at Avila University, has been named this year’s recipient of the Excellence in Fundraising Award by the Mid-America chapter for the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

In response to an election process that has been challenging and divisive, I believe it is time for us, in the Avila community, to reflect on who we are and what we value as an institution founded and sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. We are called to come together in a spirit of healing, reconciliation, peacefulness, and respect for each other...

Dr. Carol K. Coburn, professor of Religious Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies at Avila University has received the 2016 award for Best Essay in a Scholarly Magazine from the Catholic Press Association. Her paper entitled, “Ahead of its Time … Or, Right on Time? The Role of the Sister Formation Conference for American Women Religious.”

C. Larry Garrison Sullivan, Ph.D., dean for the school of science and health at Avila University, has been awarded the first Carol Baffi-Dugan Award by the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions, Inc.

The Avila University Singers embarked today on the first leg of a concert tour through Italy. Led by Music Director, Dr. Amity Bryson, the choir is set to perform at St. Peter’s Basilica, the epicenter of the Catholic faith on June 23.

Reporting to Avila University President Ron Slepitza and remaining on the Executive Committee, Dr. Sue King will carry the new title of Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Information Services.

KANSAS CITY, MO – Avila University has announced a $3.5 million contribution and has unveiled renderings for a new Goppert Performing Arts Center. The announcement was made at a VIP reception on April 28, prior to the opening night of its student production, Monty Python’s Spamalot.

The Thornhill Gallery is hosting an exhibit, "Yoshi and Friends: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Yoshiro Ikeda," in conjunction with the National Conference on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) which will be held in Kansas City March 16-19. Yoshiro Ikeda, who passed away in December, was a distinguished Professor of Ceramics at Kansas State University. The exhibition will feature his work, as well as the work of many of his friends and students

Avila University Hosts Inspired Fundraising Summit

KC Clay Guild presents the KC Clay Guild Teabowl National 2015. Eighty of the nation’s finest traditional and non-traditional ceramic tea bowls will be on display from August 28 – September 19 at Avila University’s Thornhill Gallery.

Humanresourcesmba.net placed Avila among the top 50 in the nation based on schools with an affordable price point and high value.Humanresourcesmba.net placed Avila among the top 50 in the nation based on schools with an affordable price point and high value.

Avila University has been named top 100 Most Affordable Small Colleges West of the Mississippi by the national website, Great Value Colleges. The list consists of colleges and universities that “offer great value – that is, an ideal blend of high caliber and low cost."

After an extensive application process, Avila University’s Master of Science in Organizational Development (MSOD) with a concentration or certificate in Leadership Coaching received recognition for Approved Coach Specific Training Hours (ACSTH).

The 2015 graduation ceremony not only commemorated the 424 Avila University graduates, but also three Avila alumnae and sisters that participated in one of the most iconic movements in this nation’s history.

On April 11, Avila University students Austin Armstrong and Jordan Burns participated in the Beta Beta Beta District II Convention hosted by Southwestern College in Kan. where the two seniors presented separate research projects with Armstrong and Burns sweeping the competition.

The Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals’ (AMCP) announced its 2015 International AVA Digital Awards Competition winners and Erin Casey Lee sophomore Communication student won individual honors for her campaign entitled “{I}nd the Stigma” (pronounced End the Stigma).

Paul Toler has accepted the Vice President for Finance and Administrative Services (CFO) position and will start June 1, 2015. He will be a forward-thinking and strategic leader for the university and a collaborative member of the Executive Committee.

Avila University's School of Education will offer two new international education degrees in the fall of 2015 designed for students – both international and domestic – who want to go on to careers with institutions, agencies and schools around the world.

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